Diablogue

Tweet it and they will come!

2012-01-30T13:04:00.000Z

Dialogue were happy campers last Thursday when the grassy Innocent van pulled up with a cart load of healthy smoothies for the entire office.

Dialoguers were busy sending tweets to @innocentireland all week with the hash tag #healthytweets telling them all the things we were doing to stay healthy in January.

This latest “tweet for treats” campaign is a great example of a well executed social media campaign. Facebook fans could even follow the grassy vans location in real time via GPS.

On Friday, 27^th January @innocentireland and #healthytweets were both trending in Dublin as word got around. Well done Innocent Ireland. We’ll have another smoothie on you!

Chairman Killeen's Second Term

2012-01-26T10:14:00.001Z

Michael Killeen has accepted a second term as Chairman of the InterDirect Network, the international network of independent agencies.

IDN (www.interdirectnetwork.com) has over 30 agencies across 60 countries with global billings exceeding $1.25 billion last year.

Michael's key challenge last year was the repositioning of the network as a key global digital player and supporting this with their new identity and positioning launch.

Dialogue will host IDN’s annual Autumn conference in Dublin in September with over 100+ international agency directors attending the four day programme.

Last year IDN agencies delivered superior award winning global work across the integrated field with a major emphasis on digital integration.

IDN also increased its presence in the Asian markets with new members in China, Hong Kong, India, Kazakhstan, Singapore and Thailand. We will also be adding a number of highly rated members this year from South American and North American States.

Hireland - The Time Is Now

2012-01-20T13:29:00.003Z

Back in February of last year, members within Dialogue decided it was time to do something about the unemployment crisis in Ireland and set in motion a movement that created the brand ‘Hireland.ie’.

Thanks to the support from neighbours to students to marketing professionals to family and friends, Hireland.ie was launched this week - without a bank account. Thanks to the continued support of colleagues across the Irish marketing industry who volunteered significant time and media resource in the most humble of ways - completely free of charge!

Hireland.ie is asking SME’s to consider hiring one person this year and get the country back up and running again. We are encouraging business owners to go to the www.hireland.ie website and pledge a job. The campaign will run for six weeks and the response over the first four days has been overwhelming with 700+ jobs pledged. The immediate results have given us great confidence that the Hireland.ie movement will hit its goal of creating 5,000 new jobs by midsummer.

We have a series of steps that we plan to execute over the coming weeks to maintain this momentum so please keep an eye out and continue to support it were you can.

Michael Killeen, Lucy Masterson, John Desmond and Kingsley Aikins

Thanks again to all of you who have engaged, supported and pledged this week. And may we ask everyone to go onto the www.hireland.ie site and pledge just one job if you can or raise it with those who are in a position to do so and should.

Russian/Irish Renault Relations

2012-01-09T15:08:00.000Z

Dialogue has completed the first phase of the planning of a CRM programme for Renault in the Russian market.

Dialogue used its proprietary four step RM process 'I.D.I.C' (Identification, Differentiation, Interaction and Customisation) to deliver their three year plan.

We are now working with the Russian Renault team and their agency Itella Connexions, based in Moscow, to develop the creative work across seven different car models. This integrated work is being executed across ATL, Direct Mail and Digital Media.

The Russian market is still in its infancy when it comes to digital coverage with approximately 30% of the market having access to online. Digital devices are expected to grow significantly over the coming years at the medium end of the market.

Dialogue developed a plan that takes into account very high usage of established media channels such as Direct Mail, Telephone and ATL in the early stages. As time moves on we will be migrating direct relationships though dealership and online.

We will also work on the new prospect lead programme generated from the ATL work and convert it into a relevant prospect database. We developed a superior first-time experience as prospects expectations are high after sharing information. The first exchanges are designed to under-promise and over-deliver.

Dialogue had a number of high profile International wins last year and we will continue to focus resources on global new business opportunities.

Wagamamaaaah!

2012-01-06T10:40:00.001Z

In Q4 2011 Dialogue launched an awareness campaign for the Orsen Group's Wagamama restaurants. The campaign consisted of digital, sales promotion, outdoor and transport media. Part of the digital activity saw Wagamama testing a Facebook campaign for their Belfast restaurant. Facebook ads and Sponsored Stories drove consumers to their Wagamama Belfast Facebook page. Once the page was liked, fans could download a voucher that treated them and their friends to exclusive Wagamama deals. The Wagamama Belfast Facebook page saw a massive surge in likes and as a direct result, the Belfast restaurant has seen an increase at the till. The results were ahead of target and as a result Dialogue are now migrating the campaign south of the border to target Blanchardstown, Dundrum, South King Street and Cork City consumers.

The Orsen group manage Tower Records, Captain Americas Muji and Wagamama ROI & NI.

Free Hugs?

2011-12-13T17:05:00.002Z

If I told you we brought one of Dublin’s busiest streets to a standstill (without road rage) would you be surprised? Well that’s exactly what we did! Saturday 26th November we joined a great friend and Dialogue ex-pat Ger Ryan and his band ‘That what she said’ to bring Grafton Street to a halt with a flash mob. The stunt was to both to promote and be the video for their new single “Turn to me”.

At 2:00pm a mob of family, friends, strangers, stragglers, people who heard about it on the radio and anyone we could get our hands on, joined in a synchronised Hug for one minute, in the middle of rush our shopping bringing the street to a halt. Even the grumpiest of shoppers couldn’t help but turn on a smile.

Not only has ‘That what she said’ the kindness of heart to bring the shoppers of Grafton Street together in a hug mob, all the proceeds from the sale of the single are being donated to the charity concerned with mental health “Aware”.

The single was released this week and is available on itunes here
http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/turn-to-me/id487302940?i=487302944&ign-mpt=uo%3D4.
You can also see the video on youtube here http://youtu.be/moiXQEG8kdg

So get in the spirit and buy the single, and at the very least if you see Ger Ryan, give him a hug- he deserves it.

Well done Ger from all at Dialogue.

Kids don't 'get' print!

2011-10-17T15:54:00.000+01:00

This is certainly a sign of the times! We discovered this hilarious video on mashable.. have a look at how this baby just can't grasp the fact that a print magazine is not interactive! Click on the picture below to check out a great video of a little girl who has been born in the digital era!

Kids these days - whats print?

- Emily Lyons

To Hell and Back

2011-10-14T17:45:00.001+01:00

We had a great night out last night in TriPOD at the An Post Mail Media Unit's excellent event. Clyde Fessler, former Vice President of Business Development for Harley Davidson told us all about Harley's impressive brand turnaround. A few pints were had and a some nice insights were taken away! Michelle Russell and I couldn't resist ourselves!!

Photos:
Ger Nolan, Sinead Ni Ghaora & Michelle Russell enjoying a drink.
Michelle Russell and Gary McLoughlin trying out a Harley Davidson!

-Gary McLoughlin

''Freedom'' Art we can all relate to...

2011-10-11T11:37:00.001+01:00

Here in Dialogue we can accross the wonderful sculpture by Zenos Frudakis...

Freedom Sculpture

The artist stated ''I wanted to create a sculpture almost anyone, regardless of their background, could look at and instantly recognize that it is about the idea of struggling to break free..''

We certainly feel he did that, the sculpture which stands outside the GSK headquarters in Philadelphia, US, is made of Bronze and completely embodies the feeling of freedom.

As the figures move from left to right, Frudakis has shown how figures are developed when sculpting from the rough to the more finished product. The artist wanted to show the audience the entire process, keeping the rough work visible making the final figure detailed and expertly crafted and moulded.

We think you will agree this is a great piece of sculptured art which truely defines the feelings of breaking free...

Emily Lyons - Client Exec

Mobile marketing makes staggering increase in the US, will Ireland follow suit?

2011-10-11T11:13:00.003+01:00

According to latest marketing spend stats from the US, advertising spend is increasing in many areas such as mobile, social media and internet. This is no huge surprise however; one of these in particular is seeing an incremental increase. Mobile has come forward with a 75% increase in spend from 2009 – 2010, furthermore, this is set to continue at this pace until 2013, with $2.3 billion expected to be spent each year.

This interesting info was posted recently by a Microsoft mobile marketing report. The details of their research indicates the type of spend and the trends coming in advertising. With such incremental growth state side, is there an argument brewing that more Irish brands and businesses should be looking towards dedicating more of their advertising budget towards mobile marketing?

Many would argue a definite yes. In a survey conducted by Sponge It in November 2010, it is suggested that over half of Irish mobile users had smart phones, and a year later, these figures are only increasing. Another important point is that over half of the time Irish smart phone users are online they are using their phone to search, therefore brands with the potential spend should be enhancing their SEO and possibly integrating a PPC campaign. It also seems that from businesses point of view it would be very worthwhile to develop a mobile compatible site and potentially an app. Why? Average session on a desktop website is 1 minute… on mobile? 4.3 minutes! That shows how engaging mobile sites can be and also the longer time frame that your specific target market could be exposed to your mobile advertising.

So here are the facts for Ireland (Nov 2010):

87% of mobiles can potentially connect to the internet
46% of mobile owners use the internet on their mobile
20% listen to the radio on their mobile every day
18% of smartphone owners watch videos content on their mobile every day
16% of mobile owners clicked a mobile advert recently

Much of the above facts and figure relate to B2C mobile marketing, however there is room for B2B mobile marketing too. Christina Kerley a US based mobile marketing evangelist noted that businesses and business people were the first to embrace mobile, internet and SMS. So why contact these busy people on the one device they constantly have on them? Makes sense to us!

The first step for companies wishing to connect with their customers, whether B2B or B2C should be developing a mobile version of their site and if necessary an app. Dialogue's web team can provide these services for our clients. Importantly with expertise in both traditional forms of marketing and the ability to bring your brand into the mobile space we can help create an integrated, holistic campaign.

According to Amarch research 'The Smart Future' (May 2011) by the end of 2012 the majority of Irish mobile phone users will have a smart phone. This signals the rapid growth about to happen in the Irish market and marketers must now decide whether they want to move with this growth.

Emily Lyons - Client Exec

BARACK IN THE AULD COUNTRY

2011-05-23T15:06:00.000+01:00

Confused by Barack Obama’s visit to Ireland today? Wondering why he’s heading for the depths of Offaly? Well, you’re in good company. Some of our colleagues in the Magnet network (see below) have also been scratching their heads...

In an effort to understand Barack’s visit to great-great-great granddad’s old stomping ground, we recently tapped into the collective brainpower of senior managers in Magnet’s American agencies.

We asked ‘How will the visit enhance the Obama brand?’ One correspondent was very frank: ‘I certainly don’t know or understand the reason for his visit to Ireland – and I doubt whether most Americans do either’. According to others, the ‘Irish visit’ is just a required rite of passage for all American Presidents with the vaguest link to lreland: ‘It is traditional for all American Presidents to make the journey to Ireland – Kennedy, Nixon, Reagan, Bush, Clinton.’ This contributor, however echoed the first by concluding: ‘I have no idea what the visit is for…’

However, Yoram Samets, the managing partner Kelliher Samets Volk, an agency offices in New York, Vermont and Boston did put this finger on some possibilities: “Why is Obama going to Ireland? Gas stop? Pee break? It is totally irrelevant that President O is stopping in Dublin for a quick chat. Maybe he’s looking for a retirement property.”

Overall though, it seems the presidential visit is being interpreted as a raw vote-hoovering exercise; “visiting the ancestral homeland of these voters can’t hurt his standing with this important slice of the electorate.”

So it looks like the locals of Moneygall should resign themselves to being bit-part players in Brand Obama commercials during the 2012 campaign. But at least the old house got a lick of paint in the process - possibly the first since Falmouth Kearney headed west in the 1850s.

So much for Ireland’s effect on Brand Obama. We then asked a slightly more serious question: what’s been the impact of the economic collapse on Brand Ireland?

We’ve convinced ourselves that we’re below lepers in the international popularity stakes. However David Campbell, Chief Operating Officer of Chernoff Newman in South Carolina has a slightly more generous view: “Ireland’s reputation is hurt by its economic problems – but not irreparably. They need to be seen as taking their medicine and moving toward a more balanced budget without undue labor unrest.”

Another Magnet manager went on to ask some probing questions: “Will you, like a family down on their financial luck, get back up and fight through this – making the sacrifices needed to turn things around? Or will you stay down and whine about it, waiting for someone else to come and solve your problems?”

For a country that’s been hooked on overseas help since the days of begging the King of Spain for a dig out against the English, this question cuts close to the bone. Fortunately – or perhaps unfortunately for our long-term prospects – there’s still an appetite on the other side of the Atlantic for what Ireland offers. Bill Hughes, Managing Partner of the Hughes agency in St. Louis Missouri says “Personally, I’d travel there in a heartbeat if I could and certainly hope to do so – we actually have two of our staff members planning trips to Ireland this summer.”

Encouraged? I am. I’ll even sink a pint with Barack if he’s in the mood.

The MAGNET Network

Dialogue has been a member of the international MAGNET network since 2008. An affiliation of independent advertising and marketing agencies, MAGNET’s member agencies represent more than 800 clients worldwide with total annual billings of more than $1.6 billion.

God Save The Queens!

2011-05-11T12:27:00.000+01:00

A warm welcome to the English Queen from a few Irish Queens!

Radiohead spearhead the resurgence of print?

2011-03-28T15:51:00.000+01:00

How do a band on the cutting edge launch and promote an album? By only selling it digitally for free? That's so last year! This time around, Radiohead launch their new album 'King of Limbs' with free newspaper The Universal Sigh, handed out to fans at Tower Records this morning.

A collection of lyrics, illustrations and pieces by writers such as 'The Wild Places' author Robert MacFarlane, it's a flimsier read than Herald AM. But it's an arresting piece nonethless. It's also a great way of getting headlines! More importantly it shows that, when it comes to spreading the word, print is still a powerful presence.

Of course, on the back page there is a QR code, showing Radiohead still have their finger firmly on the pulse. But it's good to know that print is in such good health.

Now let's just hope Radiohead can sell some of those old fashioned CD things!

Sht The Creative Director/CEO/Account Guy/Client/Intern Says

2011-03-25T16:31:00.001Z

We love this Facebook page where dumb clients are named and shamed by agencies and designers. Ok, so they're not named. Or really shamed. But the dumb things they said are now out there. To be laughed at by other agencies who may have gone through similar pain.

You want examples?

"...for that price you should be offering unlimited revisions and all the stationary, advertising and about 5000 business cards. Your price is way out there my friend unfortunately this is a small business and only able to ...put 150$ into a logo design."

"Let me see if we want to keep that Latin as it is or put something in in English . . ."

"Do you work for free? If you don’t please send me your cheapest price."

All gold.

We know what you're thinking - what's the dumbest sht we've heard in Dialogue? Nothing of course - our clients are all intelligent!

And speaking of clients - where's their forum? If we've ever said anything that belongs in a Sht The Agency Says Facebook page, why not post it here and let us know??

South by South West 2011 the Irish contingent

2011-03-18T17:18:00.000Z

Can't believe it's South by Southwest time again! And this time the Irish really are making themselves heard in Texas - over 15 homegrown artists will feature at the infamous musical showcase this week. These include Choice Prize nominees James Vincent McMorrow, Halves, Adebisi Shank and O Emperor.

You can hear some of the bands tonight on Today FM on the Paul Mcloone show. Or check out these cool clips:

The Mighty Stef - www.breakingtunes.com/themightystef

O Emperor - www.breakingtunes.com/oemperor

Adebisi Shank - www.breakingtunes.com/adebisishank

Japanese Earthquake/Tsunami Appeals - Ten ways to help

2011-03-16T10:43:00.000Z

We have all watched the horrific tragedy happening in Japan- what can we do to make a difference? Well, in today’s connected world we can all play our part. And our friends in Cybercom.ie have blogged a list of 9 ways we can help the people of Japan.

They are looking for a tenth...And we have found one.

10. Have you seen the film 'Anvil'? You can download a FREE Sampler featuring an unreleased track from Lips and the lads called 'Juggernaut Of Justice'. You can also download 12 tunes by other metal acts such as Helloween, Danzig, and a band called Dir En Grey, based in Japan, who luckily were unharmed by the tragic events. While downloading these tracks, you are encouraged to donate via the American Red Cross.

Below is Cybercom's list. Please do what you can. Remember - no donation is ever too small.

9. Apple have created a simple donation page in iTunes, however this may be restricted to US users as we can’t seem to access it through the Irish store.

8. You can also give on Groupon

7. Amazon have set up a donations page, all proceeds go to the Red Cross

6. Paypal have set up a donations page with the Red Cross, Save the Children, Global Giving and the Hands on Network.

5. The American Red Cross has launched a campaign on Causes and has raised $61,000 to date.

4. Zynga has partnered with Save the Children’s Japan Earthquake Tsunami Emergency Fund to get its users to donate money through the purchase of virtual goods in CityVille, FrontierVille, FarmVille and its other games. They are offering 100% of the proceeds from the purchase of sweet potatoes in CityVille, radishes in FarmVille or kobe cows in FrontierVille to the Save the Children’s efforts and have a target of $2 million in their sights.

3. If you have a website you can let your customers get involved in the relief efforts by adding the Hello Bar that places a simple message at the top of your website. Mashable have an article with full instructions.

2. Unicef Ireland are accepting donations through their donations page.

1. The Irish Red Cross is accepting donations through their Emergency Response Fund. This Fund allows the Irish Red Cross respond to emergencies at home and overseas.

If you can turn this list up to eleven...please let us know and forward it on. Thank you!

Ireland wins the World Cup!!*

2011-03-03T15:54:00.002Z

It's not every day that Ireland wins the World Cup! But, yesterday we did just that.

What's more, we beat England - the inventors of the game.

*Ok, that game is cricket...and we only won ONE game...but we're still quaffing the tea and cucumber sandwiches in celebration. And we're all over the moon - except our Gibbo, a man bred and buttered in Newcastle and the only one in here who cared about cricket before yesterday.

If you'd like to celebrate with us, why not join us after we down tools tomorrow in the Workmans Club? We look forward to seeing some old faces.

And if you're wondering what the score was...who knows? It's cricket.

Could Crackbird Cure Gerry's Vegetarianism?

2011-03-02T17:10:00.002Z

It's Zoe's last week in Dialogue so we had to check out new 'Pop-up' restaturant Crackbird. Nestled neatly between a gay sauna and a strip club, it's only going to be there for another 79 days (whether it's a success of not. Crackbird was fitted out on the cheap by National College of Art and Design students in exchange for a proper knees up. The way it should be, if you ask us. And it looks great - if you don't mind drinking your lemonade out of jam jars (which we don't).

The brainchild of Joe Macken, the owner of Jo'Burger, it really feels like a cross between an American Diner, a gourmet KFC and a picnic.

And the chicken...well let's just say it had me seriously reviewing the vegetarianity.

Best of all, if you fancy some free eats, you can get some free TWEETSEATS by checking out @crackBIRDdublin and requesting your time, date, and number of people between 2 and 6. Good call, Joe Macken and the great staff at Crackbird.

Fianna Fail bringing you down?

2011-03-01T17:27:00.000Z

Forget the Bertie Bowl, forget the property boom - this is possibly the biggest FAIL from Bertie Ahern. Our ex Taoiseach said anyone talking down the economy should just "commit suicide". Don't belive a politician could say something so insensitive and stupid? It's on Youtube. On the day FF got their political kicking, we wanted to show solidarity to anyone affected by what is one of the last taboos in Ireland - depression.

So we did a spec political poster for mental health charity Turn2me.ie who were delighted to get them. Check them out - they do amazing work.

Dialogue gang gets political

2011-02-25T17:03:00.001Z

We put this poster up last week. It's been photographed and filmed many times by passers by, but it's not a joke - we're serious :)

Dialogue enjoy a power breakfast

2011-02-23T17:01:00.001Z

We really enjoyed this morning's An Post Marketing Breakfast at the Westbury, where Alan Leach of West Wood Clubs shared with us how his fitness clubs get the most out of Direct Mail. Very interesting insights - they can take up to 2 months writing the perfect sales letter!

Here's our own Ger Nolan with Alan and Amie Peters from An Post who told us that research shows 31% of companies plan to increase their DM spend in the next 3 months. Again, very interesting. We look forward to the next one!

Incredible interns in Dialogue

2011-02-11T16:26:00.000Z

We had two transition year students intern with us for the past week. Laura Killeen and Ingrid Lacchia. It flew by and they were great - really doing fantastic work. Well done and thanks - here's their stories:

Laura
My week at dialogue was brilliant, I had so much fun. The hours were from 9 till 5 but they seem to fly by. One of the staff members would always give us something to do either a task or a project so we were never bored. On the fist day we were given a project to make a book cover on ‘how to attract Americans to Ireland’ and we had to work on this throughout the week, and then present it. I wasn’t too keen on this idea to begin with, but ended up having a superb time working on it and presenting it. There was another girl doing work experience here with me which was great because they sent us on a lot of errands around town so I was never alone, I really enjoyed doing that because I am now more familiar with the area and finally they gave us little projects to do around the office, one of them was to paint their logo on the wall which I loved and we also decorated the office head to toe with love hearts because Valentines days is coming up.

Overall I loved the experience, had such a great time and all the staff were lovely.
Laura xo

Ingrid
Had a deadly week with Dialogue. The week went by so quickly and now i don't want to go. The project was great (a little frightening but a lot of fun). Thanks to Claire, Gibbo, Karren and Micheal for the cool little tasks they gave us. I loved working with Laura couldn't find anyone better to share the experience.

Thanks to everyone for being so nice and supportive- you've made the week the best.
Appreciate it,
Ingrid.

(P.S- Gerry's Rubik’s cube for blondes was hilarious.)

Dialogue show some Winspiration

2011-02-03T15:28:00.000Z

This morning's Marketing Institute morning was a fantastic success.

Completely booked up, Winspiration showed some wildly successful and innovative international campaigns.

Dialogue's Des Columb, Ger Nolan and Jazz Williams gave the inside story of how some of the most impressive campaigns of last year achieved real cut-through.

Couldn't make it this morning? Get in touch and we'll send you a CD full of really cool case studies!

Friday Favourites by Zoe

2011-01-28T17:27:00.000Z

It's the return of our Friday Favourite ads. This week, Zoe Bradley has chosen her favourites.

First off: Gummy Bear - The Natural Company.

This is one of my favourite ads ever! I mean it’s a gummy dinosaur talking in a beautifully bored voice… How could you not adore someone made from “love and joy and enthusiasm…”?!
I think it’s especially witty because we all know a ‘dinosaur’ just like him.

A couple of other gummy bear greats –

The “hard” bear
Bring on the trumpets.
2. Bulmers Pear

This came out a couple of summers ago but I’ll always remember it – everyone was talking about it and swapping their favourite bits! My fav bit? “your mom and dad are you paaar---??” “Mammy and daddy macguire”

3. Littlewoods boot camp

This is so girly, but I’m a total shoe fanatic! Plus it’s got a great song to it. But more importantly it has really, really pretty shoes in it. And no, I don’t care if that’s totally shallow!

Hope you enjoy...

Zoe

Cashless coffee

2011-01-24T17:16:00.001Z

You’re passing Starbucks. You’ve got a serious jonesing for a dose of caffeine. But you haven’t got a cent. Who you gonna call? Actually, you just go in with your mobile and wave it around to spend your star bucks.

Starbucks has successfully tested in Seattle, Northern California, New York and hundreds of select Target stores across the U.S. To give it a shot, just download the free Starbucks Card mobile app. After crediting the card via credit card you can pay for your caffeine fix with your mobile in front of a scanner at the checkout.

"With mobile payment, the Starbucks Card platform further elevates the customer experience by delivering convenience, rewarding loyalty and continuing to build an emotional connection with our customers.", says Brady Brewer, vice president Starbucks Card and Brand Loyalty.

Get used to the sight. Electronic payments are on the way in - unless the French have their way that is.

A new survey of French consumer attitudes to electronic payments has found that the majority are not currently interested in mobile payments services.

Only 8% of consumers were strongly in favour of the idea.

Wake up and smell the future guys!

Early election posters? You can bet on it

2011-01-21T11:01:00.001Z

Fair play to Paddy Power. They'll probably get banned or fined as usual, but they just don't care.

We saw these on the way into work this morning.

Thanks for giving us a laugh lads!

We bet they won't be around for long - just like Fianna FAIL!

FYI here's the odds they're giving:

Eamon O Cuiv 1/10 on being elected
Pat Carey 11/10
Sean Haughey 8/11
Mary Hanafin 8/15
Noel O Flynn 2/1
Billy Kelleher 1/6
John McGuinness 1/4
Johnny Brady 1/6
Willie O Dea 1/40 safest FF seat next to the Ceann Comhairle
Charlie O Connor 8/11
Michael Mulcahy 1/3
Chris Andrews 1/2
Michael Fitzpatrick 9/4
Aine Brady 2/7
Pat Fitzgerald 6/4
Peter Power 5/2
John O Donoghue 10/11
Daragh O'Brien 8/11
Michael Kennedy 8/11
Noel Ahern 9/2

Workmans Club

2011-01-12T11:26:00.002Z

One of the best things about working in Temple Bar is, well, being in Temple Bar.

It's one of the best places in Dublin with some of the best drinking holes in the city. We're really loving the Workmans Club, a perfect place for a pint for a working man or woman after work. We've been known to drop in on occasion and the sound lads were even kind enough to give us a grand tour (and a pint!) before they'd even opened.

So we were delighted to see this Fester and Ailin' style duo outside the club yesterday at lunch time. Just don't ask us what in the name of God they were promoting!

Let them eat cheese

2011-01-07T15:09:00.000Z

If you've taken a stroll over the Ha'penny Bridge recently you'll have seen this beauty:

We love it! They won't be voting Fianna Fail in March then....

Sounds like a great start to the year

2011-01-05T15:48:00.001Z

Happy New Year to one and all from Dialogue.

If anyone is looking for a good Voiceover artist in 2011, why not check Ted Williams out.

He's a homeless man with one hell of a talent:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTysXITBCmk&feature=related

Jonathon Ryan has nothing on this guy. Hopefully his talents will find a good home*.

*Ouch what a woeful pun. I've broken one of my writing resolutions already.

Gerry

Dialogue’s TOP TEN from 2010

2010-12-14T16:46:00.002Z

Snow fell, oil spilled, students protested, footballers cheated (off the pitch this year) and Fianna Failed. A lot happened in ’10, but not everything made the card. Did you guess our Top Ten?

1 The question on everyone’s lips during the recession was ‘where’s Bertie?’ Who knew he was hiding in the cupboard the whole time?

2 A radio DJ joined the mile-high-club solo in March. Personally, we’re never touching another Cara inflight magazine again!

3 Nothing worse than the alarm going off at 7 when you’ve been drinking the previous day and only got into bed at 4. Oh wait, there is one thing worse – being interviewed.

4 First the headshops went up in smoke and then legislation put them out of business. Bad buzz maaan - they was just tryin’ to have some fun.

5 The Aviva Stadium opens. Ah it’ll always be Lansdowne to us.

6 It’s been a swinging year for Irish golfers. Congratulations Graeme McDowell, who won the Ryder Cup, beat Tiger Woods and got European Tour Golfer of the Year.

7 The country has been seeing red with Mary Harney for years, but unfortunately she got a taste of her own medicine when she had paint thrown on her at a recent photo opp.

8 The IMF bailout. Sure, we could put it to a vote, but we might get the result wrong and have to vote again until we got it right.

9 Is it a bird? Is it a plane? Nah it’s just an ash cloud over Iceland that brought all travel to a complete standstill – just like the snow did.

10 Getting cheated out of the World Cup by Thierry last year was annoying, but not nearly as annoying as the sound of loud angry bees at every bloody match!

Happy Christmas from all at Dialogue. Hope you have a top ‘11!

Chopsticks that make a point

2010-12-13T16:48:00.000Z

Here's something we have to share. How cool is this for a piece of clever DM. It's not often you see a hard hitting message that's fun too. These 'chopsticks' are actually pencils and were given out (presumably at Chinese restaurants) to encourage diners to write to the Chinese government to help put an end to torture.

I especially like it because I'm sure the creative started with FORTUNE COOKIES...or even better MISFORTUNE COOKIES!

But they went further with it. Much further.
Great work Amnesty. amnesty.org/china

My favourite ads by Gerry

2010-12-10T11:40:00.000Z

Ok, so I know I should be posting ads here that have wowed me in the past few months but I can't help being a bit nostalgic. When we first started working on Harp Lager's DM and Digital account I immersed myself in the Northern Irish humour. And I loved it. Seriously, you should Google the 80's Harp ads, they're gold.

Take this ad here. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0UKt_AAbqmw&feature=player_embedded Easy to ridicule 20 years on, but I bet this bloke still heads down the pub after a hard day's work, still plays guitar in some band and still drinks Harp because he likes the taste of it. 'Nuff respect.

And who could forget this classic? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ou204dQbKwc

I remember when I was showing my portfolio around years ago (or should that aeons) I was talking to a copywriter who showed me this script. He was so excited about it he was nearly wetting himself. In the draft I saw, the main guy in the ad was a 7 foot tall viking type, so it changed - but I thought it was hilarious.

This year, while looking after Harp's Facebook site, I posted this ad. It got so many likes and comments. Within a week there was a Facebook campaign to bring the ad back on telly. And I for one agree.

By the way, Diageo didn't pay me to post this, but if they're reading this a case of Harp would be lovely :)

Cheers everyone!

My favourite ads by Claire

2010-12-03T15:24:00.000Z

Every Friday we ask a member of Dialogue to share their favourite ads. First up is our First Impressions Manager, or receptionist Claire Chatham. Take it away, Claire:

1st & Always is Chanel.

Their TV ads are like mini movies, from the soundtrack to the actresses who star in them. Enjoy! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lzoH111HbJM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5zALNTZ9bNs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTO4FHf8MBs

I have the perfume and the lipstick. Anyone who saw last year's Xmas party pictures will see how much I like the lipstick!!

I also love the Birds Eye Findus Ads. Some people may get freaked out by the bear in the freezer but he always makes me laugh.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsKWjO213EY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=byu4On7qJ_8

Hope you like them too!!

Taste buds on a roll

2010-10-15T10:16:00.001+01:00

This morning on our way into work we saw some of the 'Taste Buds' from Fig Rolls on their Dublin Bikes...

And now, just as we were blogging this, we saw a whole gaggle* of them rolling around town. It's a fun touch in a fun campaign - click here to see them robbing a wheelbarrow full of the fig-tastic bickies from the Jacob factory.

Tasty work fig rolls. And Brand Army if we're not mistaken...nice one buds!

*not sure the collective term for taste buds...any ideas?

Crystal Balls?

2010-10-12T05:48:00.000+01:00

Welcome to the future
– but is it all the marketing
gurus said it would be?...

Silver suits. Jet packs. Holidays on the moon. In the 1950s, '60s and '70s, the future was looking good. Sadly, it's not quite worked out to be the Buck Rogers utopia we were promised. OK, the internet and mobile phones might have wowed my grandparents if they'd lived to see them. But it's just as likely they would have just have been utterly confused by the information overload.

For some reason, the marketing sector has always been awash with gurus ready to predict (for a fee) what the world of tomorrow will look like.

For any marketer looking to make a name for themselves, it's an easy bet: lay out a vision of the future with conviction, preferably in a book. Give it a title that echoes the daddy of them all, Alvin Toffler's Future Shock. Then wait for the lucrative invitations to conferences and consultancy sessions to roll in.

That's all well and good. But what happens when the years pass and some smartarse decides to see if the gurus really knew something the rest of us didn't? Well, I'm that smartarse – and here's what I found...

Do it by the book

Recently I picked my way through a number of books, published between 1986 and 1995, to see what their authors thought lay ahead.

One whose title reeked of conviction was 1993's 'The One-to-One Future' by Don Peppers and Martha Rogers. A key theme centred on the word 'discontinuity' which Peppers and Rogers used to describe a leap from one way of doing things to a completely different approach. Technology, they argued, would change things completely and we could say goodbye to 'mass production, mass media and mass marketing.'

Their future was dominated by tailored individualised messaging delivered – and this is the crucial angle – by cutting edge technologies such as 'Video Plus' (which could record an infomercial broadcast on a cheap obscure TV channel at 3.45am) and software that would allow computers to read faxes. In fact, fifteen pages of book are spent exploring the potential of the fax machine and 'fax-based dialog programs'.

Seventeen years later, this reads like a recommendation to use Morse Code as marketing medium. Sure, the principles that Peppers and Rogers promoted – innovation and tailoring a message to its most receptive audience – have stood the test of time. But if you had sunk your money into the types of technology they recommended, you'd probably now be blowing your harmonica under a bridge somewhere these days.

Let's turn our attention to another confidently-titled tome, 'Beyond 2000 - the future of Direct Marketing' edited by Jerry Reitman published in 1995. To me, 1995 seems like last Wednesday. Surely then, Jerry and his co-contributors to this books had a fair inkling of what lay ahead?

To be fair, there is a sense that technology was opening up an exciting new future for marketers. But this wasn't a future we would fully recognise today. Contributor Donald R. Libey* described 'Virtual Reality Marketing' as '…perhaps the most significant marketing advance ever.' Libey conjured up a future where house purchasers wearing a fetching helmet-and-glove combination could wander through virtual versions of houses for sale, looking left and right, up and down, interacting with an environment without actually being there.

You'll barely know you're wearing it - what we'd all be definitely using in 2010.

Of course, we know that this has happened, albeit in a far simpler form. Every estate agent showcases their properties online on property websites - but without the predicted whizz-bang 3D helmets.

The future has turned out to be just as technologically complex as was predicted - but not in the way predicted. Mobile phones, the devices now central to everyone's life simply did not figure in cutting-edge marketing thinking of the early '90s. Some pundits got close; but most missed the real pot of gold that mobile communications created.

Another contributor - James R. Rosenfield - got tantalisingly close to describing what smartphones have achieved:

*In the same chapter, Donald Libey went on to pen one of the most spectacular pieces of marketing prose I've ever come across:

"Turning from the near-certain choice of a techno-narcissism by society for the transient fantasy pleasures of virtual reality, are there potentially revolutionary marketing outcomes associated with the ultimate cyber-pseudoreality?"

Explanations on a 3D virtual postcard please.

'Financial services firms should closely monitor the new interactive media, where computers, telephones and video will ultimately converge into a single household unit (the fiber-optic based "information superhighway").' Note the word 'household'. Despite mobile phones already being in widespread use, there was absolutely no sense of their power and potential.

But perhaps the biggest shock lies in the indexes of the books reviewed. Amazingly, words like 'internet', 'digital', 'online', 'website' or 'mobile phone' don't receive a single mention even as late as the mid '90s.

So the tools that actually became the essential links between consumers and corporations of every size were completely ignored.

Lessons to be learnt

So what can we learn from smugly looking back?

For me, the key lesson is that hype around today's funky technology should always be taken with a pinch of salt. At the same time, we should be very cautious about dismissing what seems unpromising at first sight.

When digital cameras and mobile phones first appeared, they were more expensive and utterly inferior to standard cameras and landlines. But they didn't stay that way. Conversely, Virtual Reality was seen as the way of the future; before long however, it was rotting on the gizmo scrapheap alongside Citizens Band radio and 8-track tape recorders.

Interestingly, while VR and CB didn't make it to the promised land, they did drop significant hints at what lay ahead: for example, the world's appetite for individual broadcasting (hello Twitter and blogging) plus on-the-move communication with friends and strangers alike (take a bow mobile phones and social networking).

So while specific technologies can fall short, general instincts can be right. The pattern seems to be this: a radically new technology appears and pushes the world in a direction that couldn't have been predicted; conventional thinking initially dismisses it as just a novelty for kids (texting, online gaming and Facebook all spring to mind) before finally waking up to the possibilities.

Alternatively, marketers desperately try to keep ahead of the curve and bet the farm on a dead-end technology like WAP.

Ultimately the real future is impossible to know and luck is as important as insight. Maybe the best bet is simply to hedge one's bets as Hugh Oram did in 1986's The Advertising Book, when he said: 'Will the written word be banished in less than a century….Or will the present vehicles for the printed word be transmuted into new variations not as yet invented?'

Before beating ourselves up too badly for marketers' inability to predict the shape of things to come with 100% accuracy, take a look at this article from 1968 outlining what the world of 2008 would be like.

250mph cars and undersea holidays anyone?...

Back to the future?

The world doesn't go backwards. After steam, we never went back to wind and horses. Calculators killed off abacuses.

So one well-known Dublin marketing professional* may have been a little off the mark in 2005 when he stated (in print): 'I do believe that SMS and Internet will become boring to young people in the not too distant future. In ten years' time I think people will probably go back to writing handwritten letters.'

There's still five years to go before the deadline for this prediction. Perhaps Facebook's 500,000,000 users will actually change their status radically in that time.

But I doubt it - and with that, I put down my quill...

*Get in touch and we might name names…

Des Columb, Creative Director, Dialogue

What do you think? Let us know at dialect@dialogue.ie

Make quick bucks with Kickbucks

2010-08-20T17:18:00.000+01:00

The loyalty programme comes to your phone

Is the number up for local loyalty programmes? Shopkick, launching today in the US, is an iPhone app that allows you to receive targeted offers by phone.

All you have to do is walk through the store door and you’ll earn rewards, or "Kickbucks”. In the US, partners include Best Buy, American Eagle Outfitters, Macy’s, the Sports Authority and Simon Property Group. Expect many more to follow.

You can earn more Kickbucks by scanning in barcodes of products with your phone, and you can get pushed special offers. You can then cash in your Kickbucks for Facebook credits to play games online, song downloads, in-store gift cards, and other standard online rewards club stuff like magazine subscriptions or donations to charities.

Kickbucks will help capture your shopping habits and the merchandise you find interesting enough to scan — targeting you with deals; and a virtual currency that can be redeemed for goods in the future. Start collecting Kickbucks at http://www.shopkick.com/

Is that a PC in your pocket??

2010-08-13T17:13:00.000+01:00

Think netbooks are small and compact? Check this out!

As computers get ever smaller, scientists have made great developments using Bluetooth technology.. .

Soon you’ll be able to carry your computer in your pocket!

These 'pen type instruments' produce the monitor and keyboard on any flat surface from where you can carry out functions you would normally do on your desktop computer. We love this Bond like gadgetry!

Put a nappy on your dog!

2010-08-09T11:46:00.001+01:00

Follow the link below to play the game!

My name is Evan. I made this website to let dog owners know that it's not right to allow dogs to poo in parks.

Kids like to run around and roll around and have fun in parks, and falling in dog poo is not a nice thing to happen.

Please clean up after your dogs and put their dirt in the bin. If you cant, well why not, put a nappy on your dog.

http://www.putanappyonyourdog.com/

The story behind this site:

I arrived home form work one evening. My 5 year old son approached me and asked me if I would make him a website. I thought this was funny because only a year ago he actually thought I made webs for a living. So I asked him to tell me more about his little idea. He told me that he fell over in dog dirt when he was going into the park with his mammy. And he wanted to make a website called Put a nappy on your dog.com. I asked my wife if she put him up to this, and she said she knew nothing about it.

Being a web designer I bought the domain name straight away just in case and I showed him the domain working. Great my work here is done, or so I thought. Then he said "We have to tell people what happened so that this wouldn't happen to other children".

I asked him how we were going to do this and he said we can put a video on YouTube and put it in the website. I thought this was really funny and did no more on it.

A couple of weeks later, he asked me "How is the website getting on?". Woah! I don't remember a timeline being set on the brief.

I said to him "eh... It takes time to make a website especially with video. You have to make a storyboard and stuff". And told him that I'd do it soon.

The next day I got home from work and low and behold a storyboard waiting for me. Lots of stick men versions of himself and everything that happened. I thought this was the funniest thing. I built the storyboard out mainly using his own dialogue and frames. With of course the client over my shoulder making edits.. Talk about Micro Management.

I put video together, put it on You Tube, and made the site and put the video in, job done!

Or so I thought Again! He said now we have to make a game, so that people will send it to friends. Ok so I'm now blown away. I made the game over the weekend and now it's live. Again the little Micro Manager made sure that the game had a huskey and an Irish wolf hound.

I was really surprised with the whole project. My 5 year son as a client understood a couple of things about marketing

If you have a message, video is a powerful medium
If you are doing a video, YouTube is the major player
If your cause is self less, web designers will give you more attention than if its a selfish cause. Remember this site is for the other children :).
Add an interactive game if you want to make your website viral
If your designer hasn'nt set out a project plan, you need to push them and make sure they are aware of every nuance that is important to you :).

I honestly couldn't believe how much of a grasp on things this 5 year old had on things. I tried to push it and see if I could draw a little more out of him. I asked him how he was going to pay for the website. Of course he threw the pro-bono thing back in my face by reminding me that he was a special client. So I said that my work was free but you need to buy a website from a company so that it goes up online. He said that you could make an Ad and put it on TV and then people would pay for the website... Ok that's where he slipped up a little because he didnt think about the cost of advertising... but that's forgivable being only 5. Although at the end of the day I thought it was brilliant that he didn't go running in to his piggy bank to dig out the cost for his hosting. I told him that we could let other people advertise on our site and they would pay us to do it.. He thought this was a brillant idea... He's finally put this site to bed, and asked me what other websites can we make and put advertisements on them.... I've created a monster!

All the best

Paul

http://www.economist.com/node/16646000?story_id=16646000&CFID=134254564&CFTOKEN=60284930

2010-07-29T16:28:00.000+01:00

http://www.economist.com/node/16646000?story_id=16646000&CFID=134254564&CFTOKEN=60284930

The rise of Social Networking.

3D Projection Mapping Taking The Advertising World By Storm

2010-07-28T16:24:00.000+01:00

Simply Amazing!

3D Projection Mapping Taking The Advertising World By Storm

Sex sells...but who's buying?

2010-07-23T16:30:00.002+01:00

The Hunky Dorys campaign was tackled by the ASAI - but they're not the only ones at it.

Just this month, the ad below from Diesel was banned in the UK.
Sex sells, but hype is free. See for yourself.

This is the Axe effect, apparently.

Not a great role model - but a fantastic line.

Putting the sex back into salmon advertising?

Odds are good that this was one was banned.

We've even done it ourselves - thanks to a very courageous client.

Offended? Titillated? Let us know what you think! You can read more in this week’s Sunday Business Post.

Legoland Inked.

2010-07-22T11:52:00.000+01:00

These days even Legos are getting Inked. Check out these examples from a new Ad campaign being run by Pilot to highlight their extra fine pens.

Tell us what you think!

I wonder why they didn't create a lego skull for these drawings.

Everyone needs an anchor stamp! Even Lego ladies

Roughneck.

Grey, Barcelona, Spain
Art Directors: Jose Miguel Tortajada, Oscar Amodia, Dani Páez
Copywriters: Jürgen Krieger, Joan Mas, Luke Sholer
Photographer: Gonzalo Puertas
Illustrators: Diogo Dutra, Malen Feliz

Rory Sutherland: Life lessons from an ad man | Video on TED.com

2010-07-20T21:39:00.000+01:00

Rory Sutherland: Life lessons from an ad man | Video on TED.com

TED Blog: Q&A with Rory Sutherland: An advertarian's take on the world

2010-07-20T21:38:00.000+01:00

TED Blog: Q&A with Rory Sutherland: An advertarian's take on the world

Top 10 iPhone Apps of 2010

2010-07-13T22:37:00.003+01:00

Top 10 iPhone Apps of 2010

Last Dialect, we featured our favourite virals, so why not our favourite Apps?

Like all great iPhone Apps, we've chosen our favourites because they're simple and easy to use. We're all for functions, but if it's too complicated, it gets a little embarassing when you're fumbling around trying to show your friends. As a rule of thumb, if it takes longer to use iPub to find the pub than it takes to get to the pub it might not be the best app.

Top 5 Worldwide Apps

Facebook: A no brainer. With the whole world's addiction to social networking this site tops the list of must have apps!

Shazam: Name that tune! Ever hear a song you love but don't know who it's by? This app listens to the song and then provides you with song name artist and a convenient link to iTunes where you can buy it.

GPS lite: Here's an app that knows where it's at. Free GPS and loads of fun.

Pandora: It's like having a personal DJ in your pocket. It knows your musical preferences by the choices you make, so the longer you listen the more likely you are to hear a song you just lurve.

iMovie: The next step in social network sharing? Now you can send an edited titled movie of your exploits to all of your friends within minutes of it actually happening!

Top 5 Irish Apps

RTE news: Fully functional site including video news clips. Perfect for when you miss oul Pat Kenny.

Oxegen App: This kick ass free app is the ultimate accessory for Oxegen. It will help you find bars, stages, toilets and – get this - even your tent. With personal line-up schedules, up-to-the-minute alerts and instant access to tweets about the gig, little wonder it's top of the iTunes App Chart.

iPub: Can't find a pub in Dublin? Unlikely. But if so, iPub can help – showing you the quickest route to your next pint!

Guinness Area 22: A must for the rugby fans, get your fix of fixtures and much more with this convenient app.

TheFuelAPP: We're pumped up about this one. If you're tired of paying out big money for your petrol only to find it cheaper down the road, you can use this app to find the nearest discount. Fill her up!

The Dialogue Team

Best over all creative An Post Awards 2010

2010-05-24T11:15:00.005+01:00

We're proud to announce that Dialogue picked up two Gold awards for our 2009 mailing "Saint Brendan's Discovery of America". We're especially proud of the 'Best Over-all Creative', which we think says everything about the company we work for and the work we do.

We had an amazing night! It was great to let our hair down after a hectic start to the year. We truly enjoyed the show - it ROCKED! Well done everyone!!

Here is a pic of the Saint Brendan DM piece, mailed out to targeted US companies looking to expand their business into Europe.

Gott in Himmel! YouTube bans our Awards video!

2010-05-21T11:15:00.007+01:00

7SKEMN3A9TF2

It's the morning after the An Post DM Awards and we're delighted to have nabbed the Best Overall Creative award for our St Brendan mailing.

We also had some very complimentary feedback* to our video for the Agency of the Year section - complimentary, that is, except from YouTube who won't let us show it on the web. So we've had to be a bit sneakier to let you see it - try playing this fast before the internet's secret police track us down and apply the electrodes:

*http://blog.marketing.ie/?p=2992

http://www.businessandleadership.com/news/article/22783/marketing/rmg-target-makes-it-five-in-row-at-dm-awards

Cupcakes for charity

2010-04-23T17:28:00.010+01:00

Happy friday everyone! We've just done a fun bit of work for the Asthma Society of Ireland. Using Facebook, you can send a virtual cupcake to a friend and Dyson will donate €1

Pretty sweet...

If you love cupcakes and you want to raise money for a great cause, send to a friend at

www.facebook.com/asthmasociety

and click Cupcakes

Heard this one before?

2010-04-15T16:00:00.039+01:00

Is it just us or is there an awards show 'Battle of the Bands?' (And in our opinion it's ICAD as the covers band and An Post Direct Mail Awards the original.)

From a November brief, Dialogue came up with the theme 'Work that Rocks'. The call to entry came in a very retro 7 inch gatefold vinyl sleeve - including a record.

We seriously don't think ICAD will get the gold for originality for their invite if they enter the An Post Direct Mail Awards 2010. http://www.anpostdmawards.com/ What do you think?

A Grand opening

2010-03-29T14:51:00.014+01:00

18th March 2010 put a creative mark on Dublin Docklands - the new theatre has been opened.

It's an impressive building designed by world famous Polish architect Daniel Libeskind.

(photos has been copied from DL's website)

The Grand Canal Theatre as its first show chose Swan Lake performed by the Russian State Ballet. The ballet was a complete sell out; no doubt this sets the scene for the theatre's future.

Dialogue team helped with the posters and the programme design and a few of us joined the very first show.

What should you do if you have no pen and no paper...

2010-03-05T11:26:00.009Z

...but you REALLY need to ask about an autograph of one of just met Belfast Giants?

The answer is simple - you should have an iphone with the application called "The Belfast Giants Appograph". Then you just choose one (or more if you're lucky) of the preloaded photos of Belfast Giants and ask the member/s of the team about writing with a finger on the iPhone or iPod Touch screen...

More information here.

Good luck now ;)

HEAD-WREAK! Local business goes up in smoke.

2010-02-12T10:04:00.009Z

9.30am: One of Dialogue's near neighbours, Capel Street's
'Nirvana' head shop, was destroyed by fire this morning.

Dialogue Managing Director Michael Killeen was immediately on the scene to survey the damage.

Killeen commented: 'I'm genuinely devastated to see a thriving local business destroyed like this. At a time of real economic challenges, it's difficult for entrepreneurs to.....errr....
and ....events....Errr...emmm.....yeah, events.......like what's happened.....oh yeah......happened this morn....this morning are...'

Killeen's comments were cut short by a fit of the giggles and he was last seen asking passers-by if they knew what colour the wind is and whether any pizza shops were open nearby.

Haiti day in Dialogue

2010-02-05T12:54:00.012Z

Today we have a special day at work - we've organised a sweet tea/coffee break to raise money for Haiti earthquake's victims. We brought many cakes - some of them are even home baked :) John from Wine Boutique donated a bag of gourmet coffee. Lucky clients who came down for meetings today! ;)

As you can see, we're even ready for the Valentine's Day! :)

It's Gerry's (one of our copywriters) birthday today too!

THE FOUNDATION COURSE: Why cheap isn’t always cheerful

2010-02-02T14:10:00.007Z

The current bedtime reading around the Dialogue office is Steve Harrison’s recently published ‘How to do better creative work’, the collected wisdom of one of London’s most respected direct marketing thinkers during the 90s and noughties.

Steve flogged his agency a couple of years ago and retired to spend more time with his wallet. Appropriately enough for an ex-librarian, the first product of his new-found freedom is a thought-provoking book for both clients and agencies.

Its core theme is that creative work is only as good as the preparations initially invested in it. This led me to think that there’s a very close correlation between the advertising and construction industry.

New architecture can be very eyecatching. But if the engineering hasn’t been properly considered, the stresses correctly calculated and the appropriate amount of time and skill invested, the result can be a disaster.

What happened at Ronan Point in East London in 1968 illustrates this point. A 23 storey tower block was thrown up in double-quick time using prefabricated sections and on the tightest budget. Six weeks after completion, a gas explosion exposed the building’s inherent weaknesses and triggered a collapse that killed four of the newly arrived tenants.

Perhaps it’s overly dramatic and somewhat tasteless to equate marketing campaigns with dodgy buildings. Thankfully, no one will die regardless of how flawed an advertising campaign is. But there are parallels: for pre-fabricated concrete, read stock photography, for templated building systems, read corporate design guidelines and for skimping on time and budgets, read...well, you get the idea.

It’s easy to assume that new techniques automatically mean old rules are redundant. Whether it’s prefabricated concrete panels in the 1960s or the latest online marketing technique (hello Augmented Reality) in the 2000s, new techniques only work if they’re rooted in the right quality and quantity of time and thinking.

Steve’s point is that the most creative campaigns have the strongest foundations. In our industry, these are represented by a brief featuring a single minded proposition that’s as solid as any RSJ and a budget that allows for more than the cheapest quality components. Of course, both require time, money and a commitment to the highest standards.

But the pay-off can be work that becomes a cherished landmark rather than a blot on the landscape.

Auteur animation

2010-02-02T12:39:00.004Z

On Sunday our colleague Aga Grandowicz had a lecture about auteur animation. It turned to be a big success as a really big crowd of people decided to come down to the Centre for Creative Practices.

Aga was presenting few masters of the style (Brothers Quay, Jan Svankmajer, Piotr Dumala, Jerzy Kucia, Jurij Norstein, Norman McLaren, Ryan Larkin, Witold Giersz) and their movies. As a bonus she showed her animations which are always welcomed with a big enthusiasm.

She will have similar lectures in the nearest future so keep an eye on our blog or on her website (http://www.agrand.ie/news.html) :)

Want to give up smoking for good?

2010-01-11T12:28:00.008Z

Dialogue did a radio ad for World Vision that came from an inspired piece of thinking on their part. Think of all the people whose New Year resolution is to quit smoking. They know they're better off to be shot of the fags, but the flesh is weak and resolutions don't normally last long. So as an incentive, if they resolve to use some of the money they save to sponsor a child, they've a real goal. After all, it costs just a few packs of cigs a month to change a child's life - and that child's whole community - giving them the things we take for granted no matter how bad things get. Basic needs like food and water.

You can choose the child you wish to sponsor and you can even sponsor them for someone else. For me one of the most moving aspects of sponsoring a child is from time to time you will receive a letter from your sponsored child. Surely there's a better buzz in knowing you've made such a positive impact on someone's life than smoking a snout?

So if you're a smoker and you're looking for a reason to give up - apart from the fact that they're *cough* bad for you and you won't have to go out in the freezing cold every five minutes when everyone else is inside drinking hot ports....log onto www.worldvision.ie or click the pic above and give up for good!

A refreshing look at the past

2010-01-07T11:41:00.006Z

Creativity come to a stand still? Feeling a little Weary or Despondent? well maybe you should enjoy a Coke, or even better pay a visit to http://www.vintageadbrowser.com and see this and many more print advertisements over the past 150 years. This is a great resource if you would like to give your designs a bit of a retro feel. You can even buy print versions of the ads.

Bear in mind some of the ads include predjudices involving race/gender and the site does not endorse these, but displays the ads as historical artifacts.

Christmas Party!

2009-12-23T14:14:00.010Z

Dialogue's Christmas party brought to a close another fantastic year for the agency. It has been a year of new beginnings, Gary McLoughlin joined as deputy MD and it was a year for change, with new clients taking advantage of our award winning digital team.

Dialogue joined the rest of the country in braving the new economic climate in 2009, but we did it with the usual Dialogue humour, no pessimism here!

Maybe in years gone by we were lucky enough to go on foreign trips for our parties but this year we did the next best thing and went for exotic Moroccan cuisine in Dada restaurant, and there was a lot of red lip gloss to top it off, very festive!

Here’s a reminder of some work we are proud of from 2009!

Hopefully 2010 will be even better, even if the foreign breaks don't make a comeback!

Mags

Dialogue's Christmas Card 2009

2009-12-16T17:01:00.017Z

We are really proud of our Dialogue Christmas card this year! It's less controversial than some of our cards from years gone by, but all the same, we’ve had a great reaction so far. This is one Christmas card list you'll really want to be on!

Happy Holidays to all of you!

Comments:

Guys – just got your Christmas card – definitely wins the “Card of the Year” award – it’s fantastic!!
Jacinta Conefrey, Internal Communications Manager, An Post

Just got your Christmas card – very clever.
Sam Johnston, Marketing & Development Executive, Dublin Tourism

What a fu@king brilliant Christmas card!!!
Anon!

Just got my Christmas card from you guys (Claire gave me the Diageo ones when we were leaving) and I have to say - it's BRILLIANT! Has to be one of the cleverest I've ever seen… Well done to whoever did the creative on that one.
Asta Lund, Digital & RM Manager, Diageo Ireland

Love the Xmas Card!!! Stuck over my desk. Thanks You!
Sarah Sharkey, Senior Communications Manager RI, Ulster Bank

You lot definitely get the Best Card Award this year, very clever.
Catherine O'Mahony, Sunday Business Post

Every one is talking about the Dialogue card. It's brilliant. It's so engaging. We were debating whether one panel was the Galway Volvo sailing event or flooding. For the first time ever it struck me that direct mail is really a powerful tool. I sat in all the recent DM pitches and didn’t quite get it until your card arrived. Great job.
An Post procurement manager

Stranded

2009-12-10T15:35:00.005Z

Last night I was in the audience of The Panel. I had never watched the show before but a friend is working on production and there were extra tickets going. I decided that since the TV schedule would be wrecked with Budget reports that I would have no interest in, The Panel could be a welcome break (It actually wasn’t, the audience were coerced into embarrassed non convincing chants of ‘We want budget jokes, when do we want them? NOW…’)

There was a weird Dialogue connection at recording… Five years ago the host David McWilliams collaborated with Dialogue on the book ‘Saints and Spinners’ and guest Colin Murphy was once the Polar Bear Face of Harp, a product we are currently working on www.facebook.com/harp (Actually there were Polar Bear jokes last night too, something about Polar Bears being horrible and not worth saving from extinction because of a photo in a tabloid of one Polar Bear eating another Polar Bear’s face!)

There were also flood jokes, cries of “where is Bono now?” “Is Cork less important than Ethiopia!?” The jokes didn’t go down as well as some (like the one about Ann Doyle being Irelands version of Lady GaGa) maybe the audience were genuinely touched by the disaster and news reports of some people who have literally lost everything… it’s a bit too soon and close to home.

Recently our copywriter Gerry Ryan wrote an article in the Sunday Business Post about the Hopenhagen climate conference where he pointed out the lack of effort by Irish Marketers to save the world, with Pro Bono work having a similar plight to the Polar Bear and becoming extinct.

Not to show ourselves as being all talk no action if you pass our office on Wellington Quay you can see our latest campaign that we hope will help create awareness of this ongoing issue. No Polar Bears though: just a simple to the point statement ‘Don’t leave them stranded’ Click through to www.svp.ie or www.redcross.ie to donate much needed funds for the victims of the floods and show how Bono can actually save the world*!

(*Pro Bono not Soapbox Bono)

Mags O’Reilly

Legless at the Golden Spiders

2009-11-25T17:09:00.008Z

We had a great night out last week at the Golden Spiders Web Awards at the Burlington. Pourfect Pint which we did with Dublin Tourism was nominated twice, but we came home with nothing. Unless you count sore heads that is. We came away with a full house of them.

It was a cracking night. Well done to all the winners, Business & Finance, Sam and Aine from Tourism Ireland who were awesome to the max. Great job by MC Risteard Cooper, who must have been the only man in Ireland rubbing his hands in glee when Thievery Henry cheated us out of the world cup.

One thing we won hands down on the night was Best Mo. Or at very least Best Mo In The Style Of An Angry Victorian Father - congratulations Paul Houlihan, our resident web genius, that's him on the left savouring the winning feeling.

Influences: Waking Life

2009-11-10T09:59:00.003Z

Richard Linklater's 2001 film Waking Life was shot using digital video and then rotoscoped or traced over using in-expensive "off-the-shelf" Apple Macs and custom built Rotoshop software.

The film weaves together such issues as reality, free will, the relationship of the subject with others and the meaning of life.

The result, as a New York Times review said, is "so verbally dexterous and visually innovative that you can't absorb it unless you have all your wits about you".

Au revoir!

2009-11-06T16:42:00.003Z

I came over to Dublin alone 10 weeks ago to gain work experience in the marketing industry and I have not regretted a second of it. Fresh out of college I didn't know what to expect from the 'real' world of work and responsibilities, especially in a different country! Luckily for me, I landed a placement with Dialogue. Out of a group of 18 people I thought there would be at least one bad egg... But to my pleasant surprise, all the staff were amazing – kind, helpful, and always trying to get me involved. I can honestly say that the team at Dialogue is one of the most decent groups of people I have ever met!

I have also learnt more than I thought I could about marketing since I've been here, which will no doubt give me great opportunities in the future. Not to mention some of the brilliant opportunities Dialogue gave me whilst I was working for them, including being present at a voice over recording at Windmill Lane Studios – as previously blogged by Gerry!

So basically, I just want to say a big fat THANK YOU to everyone at Dialogue for taking me in, looking after me, giving me an amazing experience and most of all, for being so god damn nice! This has been an experience I will not forget. Next stop... Australia! Don't be too jealous...! :-P

Kerri-Anne Pattison

Going green needn't be a turn off!

2009-11-06T12:11:00.008Z

Every day we're reminded how catastrophic it's going to get if we keep on wasting energy. Even rock stars are realising enough is enough – Radiohead are opting for playing gigs in cities now so that punters can use public transport.

Things are going to get worse before getting better and the whole planet is running a frantic race against time and nature to stop global warming before it's too late. We all have to start playing our part... But let's not lose our sense of humour heh?

Brain Sells

2009-10-30T14:21:00.010Z

Dialogue writer Gerry Ryan had an article published in this month's IMJ. If you haven't seen it, click the images above. Marketers can at last find out what people really want - even if they don't know it themselves.

While still new and a little controversial, many large companies are already using it and will no doubt continue to do so. As will politicians, movies, music companies etc. Expect to hear a lot more of neuromarketing in the future.

Pink Friday

2009-10-23T15:11:00.019+01:00

Today at work we support the Irish Cancer Society - the aim is to raise funds for providing advice and support to people affected by breast cancer in Ireland. And, as you can see from the shots below, it gave us some fun too! This initiative was supported by Vhi Healthcare - good call guys!! If anyone's passing by Temple Bar this afternoon, stop by and grab some sweet stuff...

50 days to save the world from global warming

2009-10-19T16:45:00.012+01:00

Gordon Brown recently warned the UK that the country faces a “catastrophe” of floods, droughts and killer heatwaves if world leaders fail to agree a deal on climate change at Decembers UN summit in Copenhagen and stated that there is “no plan B” if agreement is not reached.

With this grave threat in mind, Indonesian designer Ferdi Rizkiyanto has produced a stunning collection of creative artworks related to global warming awareness:

To check out more of Ferdi's creative portfolio click here or to see how you can help prevent global warming by reducing your carbon footprint click here!

Kerri-Anne Pattison :)

A smile in the mind

2009-10-16T09:50:00.010+01:00

Since I started taking my driving lessons I obviously pay more attention to the road signs. Some of them are a great inspiration for street artists; have a look at some samples I've found online:

More here.
Aga

Who said a wooden mirror wooden work?

2009-10-09T14:16:00.004+01:00

This mirror probably won't help while having a shave or putting on make-up, but is ideal if you have time to reflect on design ;).

How to 'manage expectations'

2009-09-25T15:02:00.006+01:00

During one of my first presentations here in Dialogue,
I heard Ger Nolan utter the classic:

When the client moans and sighs
Make his logo twice the size

If the client still proves refractory
Show a picture of the factory

Only in the gravest cases
Should you show the clients' faces

This week I Googled it for reference and found a guy called Kevin Chesters has added to it. I present for your entertainment:

If the ads have gone to pot
Mention blogging quite a lot

If you want to dazzle them
Drop in terms like CRM

To make your clients think you're sage
Give campaigns a myspace page

To make them think you're clever chaps
Make references to Google Maps

If accused of strategic shirking
Bang on about social networking

If they still think the work is crap
You must present an iPhone app

Good work Kevin Chesters!

Great Polish design

2009-09-21T10:33:00.005+01:00

Few shots from the Polish Film Festival in Gdynia - I loved the car-art!
Translation: Lodz (a Polish city with the Film Academy) is like Rome for Polish Films (...) I'm feeding the celebs.

Agnieszka

Farewell to Windmill

2009-09-18T11:38:00.018+01:00

We had a session at Windmill Lane yesterday and it turns out the guys in no.4 are moving to Pembroke Lane. End of an era. When the session was over Paddy was telling us some great stories. The brown leather couch in the studio was bought at the insistence of U2 for an astronomical sum back in the '80s - designed by the company that made the interior of Ferraris! Well, it is an exceedingly comfy couch!

Paddy also told us of the MEGA powerful amps and speakers used when U2 were recording their first albums there. There was more wattage coming out of that tiny room than most touring bands at the time. This was when Ireland was in a major recession.

So before massive success was massive excess. Love it.

Good luck everyone at Windmill in your new home! Pictured at Windmill Lane's famous U2 wall are Gerry Ryan, copywriter and Kerri-Anne Pattison, who's with us on work experience. Photography by Sinead Ni Ghaora - great job!

For the geek inside all of us

2009-08-12T16:35:00.004+01:00

Free cool wallpaper designs from I love typography

Amazing Italian illustrator Alberto Seveso

2009-07-23T14:35:00.010+01:00

Alberto Seveso is an Italian designer based in Rome who has developed his own style of combining photography with vector illustrations with lots of colours and shapes. Bodies of the models are covered with the combinations of swirls, stripes, dots etc. Original style, fresh concepts combining the photography with illustrations- amazing stuff. Combining illustration and photography effectively is quite difficult, but Alberto makes this stuff look effortless.

Packaging Blog

2009-07-23T12:32:00.002+01:00

This is one of my favorite blogs, for the latest and coolest packaging check out the dieline!

Dialogue serves up Pourfect Pint for Dublin Tourism

2009-07-10T15:15:00.017+01:00

We think you'll like this one...

Go to http://www.pourfectdublin.com/ and you can pull a virtual pint of Guinness.

It's not as easy as it sounds but it can win you a great prize and virtual bar staff Declan and Deirdre will show you how it's done! Then you can send the pint on to a friend.

Launched on the 19th June, it's got over 52,o00 hits already and has got some great feedback here and here if your Italian is good enough.

So why not test your pulling skills? Click here for a pourfect pint.

smART :)

2009-06-29T14:31:00.002+01:00

and new Magritte's museum in Brussels:

Found by Aga

Bitching about pitching

2009-06-26T16:41:00.006+01:00

Let's face it. Agencies and clients would both have a lot
more time – and money – if they weren't so busy on
pitches that quite often result in campaigns that never
even see the light of day!

So what can be done about it?

In this month's Marketing Age magazine, Dialogue
MD Michael Killeen has some suggestions.

To read the article in full, click on the shot above .

2009-06-23T10:22:00.027+01:00

Bland Loyalty

Being from Newcastle-upon-Tyne has some plus points, but some minus points. Some of you might be scratching your heads and question the plus points, but one of the privileges is having a football club that you can call your own. A club that you were born into. A club you can relate to. A club that has an identity - YOUR identity. But this of course has its minus points also.

Over the years I've watched some of the most exciting and enthralling football ever to be seen on a football pitch, mixed with a lot of the most bland rubbish ever to be seen on a the planet. I was recently asked the question "Now that Newcastle have been relegated, who was I going to support now?" "NOW!!!" I questioned. "What do you mean NOW?!!? It's Newcastle. It always was, and it always will be!"

So why support Newcastle United. It's not as if it's the only football club in the world. It's certainly not because it's the best football club in the world. So why do I keep on 'buying' an inferior product? Simple - BRAND LOYALTY! Admittedly this takes the meaning of brand loyalty to another level, but at the 'end of the day' (see what I did there?) I support a collection of black and white shirts and not the players in them - i.e. the brand that is Newcastle United Football Club. Such loyalty has been tested when a player you dislike signs for your club, and suddenly he's the best thing since sliced bread.

The football fans of Ireland of course have a choice of 'brands' from across the globe. If like many, you choose not to support a local team, then generally you have a choice of who ever takes your fancy, and why not. If you had a choice of a new car, any car you like, what would you choose, a Merc or a Ford? There are some who would prefer the Ford - practical, understated and will get you to where you want to go, but most of us would go for the more thrilling, glamorous and top of the range brand. There are some however that drive a Merc one year, a Jag the next and a Porche the year after, and it's these people that I don't understand. I know of people (and we're not talking bairns here) change their football colours (international jerseys inc.) like I change my socks. Doing it with club colours is one thing, but with country colours has got to be an offence that compares with treason.

So, what's better? Sticking with a brand regardless of the changes that are made to it and buying no matter what it tastes like, or using your power as a consumer and buying the best product at the time? I know what I'm going to do, not because I want to, but because I have to! I have actually managed to pass my brand loyalty on to my 8 year old son, who must look at the toy shop window and wonder why Dad only lets him buy the rubbish toys when other kids are allowed to play with the most expensive. Thankfully he hasn't reported me to Childline - yet!

Gibbo

Have a nice Monday :)

2009-06-22T09:59:00.009+01:00

A smile from Alessi (1; Italy), Koziol (2, 3; Germany) and Pylones (4 , 5; USA). Enjoy!

Cotton swab holder

Paper clips

Pen holder

Purse

iPod speakers

2009-06-15T17:16:00.001+01:00

Classic!

Site of the week

2009-06-15T10:27:00.004+01:00

The Dieline crew catch the latest gems in product design

Cool idea for the ladies

2009-05-22T10:37:00.004+01:00

Rollasole is the name of a new range of rolled-up ballet pumps designed to relieve stiletto-jaded feet, and sold via vending machines ! Hopefully coming to Dublin soon

Digital and Creativity!

2009-05-01T14:23:00.003+01:00

The Samsung Viral - "Just too Cute!" has been released by Samsung Mobile which is a viral using cute fluffy animals to promote its UltraTouch phones. The viral focuses on the quality on the phone's screen, showing animals using the phone to make everyday things possible for them! For example, the Samsung's screen becomes a hamster cinema, and a photo booth for puppies!! The viral encourages people to visit the Samsung UltraTouch website. Check it out at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EP_m7cR5jmo - It's very creative and lots of fun! Expect some serious aaaaahh's!!

Aoife :-)

Mask of humor

2009-04-30T11:41:00.001+01:00

The influence of influenza :) Images from METRO newspaper:

Tuesday Funny

2009-04-28T11:32:00.000+01:00

A smile from the sky

2009-04-27T12:32:00.000+01:00

Earth Day 2009

2009-04-23T14:26:00.002+01:00

Earth Day, was held yesterday, April 22 and is held each year to promote awareness of environmental issues. The first Earth Day was in 1970. It was created so there would be more awareness about the need to clean up the Earth. It raises awareness about the Earth's condition. It encourages people to reduce their pollutants and recycle more. The idea is to make this planet better for this generation and more to come.

Events took place all over the world yesterday, ranging from concerts and talks to tree planting, and everyone being encouraged to turn off their lights for one hour. And what did we do here in Ireland…. absolutely nothing!!!

But we needn’t worry about that, as according to an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) report, levels of E.coli contamination in Irish drinking water supplies are nearly 30 times higher than found in supplies in England and Wales, with one-third of all public water supplies identified as potentially risky to human health.

So chances are, you’ll die of poisoning before the planet does.

Artists and writers unite

2009-04-21T15:19:00.004+01:00

What a weekend for culture.

On one side of the spectrum was AC/DC in the O2 with a 50 ft. inflatable Rosie, crashed steam train and a 50 year old man named Young doing a strip-tease.

And on the other was the OneSheet:Constellation exhibition, a series of collaborative projects exploring the relationship between the written word & art. This weekend, it featured the powerful poetry of Annemarie Ní Churreáin and ethereal art of Dáinne Nic Aoidh.

Not only was I blown away by their stunning work, I was also really impressed with how friendly they were, even posing for photos for this blog. Thanks!

Big respect also goes out to Aaron at eek.ie the man with the plan who put it all together. Well done all.

2009-04-17T16:43:00.003+01:00

The beautiful crime

It may technically be a criminal act,
but it's a very beautiful one!

Guerrilla gardening

Simple.
Brilliant.

Mrs Trellis

Such a great viral!

2009-04-17T09:55:00.016+01:00

Have a look at this sheepy viral - isn't it great?

New York New York

2009-04-08T15:56:00.005+01:00

They say if you can make it in NY you'll make it anywhere.

That's good news because that's where we've just picked up a Caples (see blog below where we got a write-up in the Sunday Business Post)

Here's a shot of our interactive director Jazz Williams with Clare Dillon of Microsoft Ireland celebrating in New York.

Take a bow guys - and take a good look at a client that has reaped the rewards of their bravery!

Dialogue in the IMJ

2009-04-08T11:00:00.008+01:00

Dialogue copywriter Gerry Ryan had an article published in the IMJ recently. When he saw the mess that American company Motrin had made for themselves with their viral, he had to put pen to paper.

It was also inspired by a very interesting thread on Creative Ireland where someone was asking: 'what agencies get digital?'

Someone quite rightly pointed out that it's one thing getting digital and another thing entirely to not get the rules of good marketing.

We're all for breaking the rules in here (hey! We got nipple tweaking into a Microsoft viral) but not insulting your audience to the point where they never buy your product again is a rule that we think is there for a good reason.

Anyway, a good mix of 'getting digital' and 'getting advertising' goes a long way.

Street Art

2009-04-06T10:43:00.008+01:00

Cool street art from the Geomos Twins

http://www.lost.art.br/osgemeos_01.htm

2009-04-01T11:33:00.001+01:00

Believe in packaging

2009-03-27T17:15:00.005Z

Recently Tropicana have re branded their packaging and ditched it very shortly after receiving passionate complaints from Tropicana aficionados... I personally don't like the re branding. It kind of reminds me of a discount store brand and could see it lost in the chilled section.

Has a brand as big as Tropicana really forgotten to do the research ???? NP

Run with World Vision

2009-03-20T12:44:00.003Z

Our friends at World Vision have recently set up a new blog to track the developments of the Flora Mini Marathon that will take place on the first of June. World Vision are looking for women of all ages and fitness levels to join the World Vision Team. The money raised from the Mini Marathon will go towards supporting a women's literacy group in Sierra Leone.

Visit their blog right here. Yesterday they wrote a very interesting article on green running..check it out.

2009-03-04T16:14:00.007Z

Q. What has more nicotine than a cigarette and tastes like a mint?

A. Camel Sticks, Orbs and Strips.

One of these Camel 'dissolvables' is said to deliver about 0.6 to 3.1 milligram of nicotine each, whereas a cigarette will give you 1 milligram of nicotine - and they come in cool packs that look like mints.

Is this a joke you ask?

Sadly, it's all too real. But if you've just got to get a nicotine hit, at least you can stay inside the pub where it's warm!

World Vision campaign

2009-02-23T12:44:00.006Z

The Dialogue gang is super excited as the World Vision integrated campaign 'Rain' has kicked off today. The hard work has definitely paid off.

The brief was to develop an integrated, multi-media campaign to recruit new child sponsors in African communities.

Here are a few pictures from our shooting day trip.

The storyboard & script

On the set

Director Brian O'Malley

Make-up time

The 60 second TV ad was created by us and was produced by the lovely people at RedRage and will run on numerous Irish and UK channels, as part of an integrated campaign that will also include radio and press.

It is a great feeling to work with a client with such integrity and to produce good work. It's even better when the work can help to make a difference.

Luas - On track for Expansion of Ideas

2009-02-20T13:10:00.006Z

It was a media first in December '08 when the first Luas carriages were wrapped with striking Vodafone creative of festive Dublin.....

...now the Neutrogena campaign is really making Waves at Jervis Street Platform!

Diablogue

Tweet it and they will come!

Chairman Killeen's Second Term

Hireland - The Time Is Now

Russian/Irish Renault Relations

Wagamamaaaah!

Free Hugs?

Kids don't 'get' print!

To Hell and Back

''Freedom'' Art we can all relate to...

Mobile marketing makes staggering increase in the US, will Ireland follow suit?

BARACK IN THE AULD COUNTRY

God Save The Queens!

Radiohead spearhead the resurgence of print?

Sht The Creative Director/CEO/Account Guy/Client/Intern Says

South by South West 2011 the Irish contingent

Japanese Earthquake/Tsunami Appeals - Ten ways to help

Ireland wins the World Cup!!*

Could Crackbird Cure Gerry's Vegetarianism?

Fianna Fail bringing you down?

Dialogue gang gets political

Dialogue enjoy a power breakfast

Incredible interns in Dialogue

Dialogue show some Winspiration

Friday Favourites by Zoe

Cashless coffee

Early election posters? You can bet on it

Workmans Club

Let them eat cheese

Sounds like a great start to the year

Dialogue’s TOP TEN from 2010

Chopsticks that make a point

My favourite ads by Gerry

My favourite ads by Claire

Taste buds on a roll

Crystal Balls?

Books reviewed:

Do it by the book

Lessons to be learnt

Back to the future?

Make quick bucks with Kickbucks

Is that a PC in your pocket??

Put a nappy on your dog!

http://www.economist.com/node/16646000?story_id=16646000&CFID=134254564&CFTOKEN=60284930

3D Projection Mapping Taking The Advertising World By Storm

Sex sells...but who's buying?

Legoland Inked.

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Top 10 iPhone Apps of 2010

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Best over all creative An Post Awards 2010

Gott in Himmel! YouTube bans our Awards video!

7SKEMN3A9TF2

It's the morning after the An Post DM Awards and we're delighted to have nabbed the Best Overall Creative award for our St Brendan mailing.

Cupcakes for charity

Heard this one before?

A Grand opening

What should you do if you have no pen and no paper...

HEAD-WREAK! Local business goes up in smoke.

Haiti day in Dialogue

THE FOUNDATION COURSE: Why cheap isn’t always cheerful

Auteur animation

Want to give up smoking for good?

A refreshing look at the past

Christmas Party!

Dialogue's Christmas Card 2009

Stranded

Legless at the Golden Spiders

Influences: Waking Life

Au revoir!

Going green needn't be a turn off!

Brain Sells

Pink Friday

50 days to save the world from global warming

A smile in the mind

Who said a wooden mirror wooden work?

How to 'manage expectations'

Great Polish design